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Show r Fess Parker, a Texan, has won the nation's small fry with his portrayal of the legendary frontiersman. six-foot-fiye-i- nch by RoWH Fitzgibbon r7 y7 si s r Mm m y f m n ' (J Here is actor Fess Parker. Fess pa&keh is a Holly interview, Fess not only then went to the University I can get a thousand dollars landed the job but became the of Southern California to together, Til put it in some paradox. A virtually unknown actor, he is at the same time the idol and hero of youngsters everywhere. This is because Fess has immortalized that rugged backwoodsman, Davy Crockett, in Walt Disney's television series th and in his new movie, "Davy Crockett, King wood first adult ever signed to a study drama. long-ter- m contract by Disney. After four years in sophisIn keeping with the epic ticated Hollywood, Fess reproportions of the Davy mains a man of honest, homeCrockett legend, Fess Parker spun charm. His tastes and is ' a strapping way of life are simple. wno stands "I guess you'd call me A native of Texas, where plain," he says in a soft drawL the real Davy Crockett met 1 don't go in for show. There of the WOd Frontier." his heroic end in the battle of isn't anything I want much, When Disney was casting the Alamo, Fess was born in except to be a good actor." about for someone to play the Fort Worth, grew up in San Parker's idea of money is role of the Tennessee fronAngelo, and calls "four or five equally modest Asked what tiersman, he spotted Parker towns in West Texas home.' he would do with his earn-in- gs from Disney, he said, "I playing a minor part in an He was graduated from the unheralded picture. After an University of Texas in Austin, don't rightly know. Maybe if 210-poun- der six-foot-fi- ve. full-leng- Texas oil stock. Never had that much to spend before." Though Parker's first name may sound like a Hollywood innovation, it's not "Fess is my name, and my father's name before me," he declares. "In old English, it means proud. That's me. Been called Fess all my life and don't aim to change now!" That may be, but to the nation's Davy Crockett fans, Fess Parker will always be remembered as that legendary figure in the 3.3 .. 1 This old lithographic print shows how the real Davy Crockett looked. cap. coon-sk- in . Editor-in-Chi- ef, (Original owned by Franklin . Meine, American Peoples Encyclopedia. I ........ -r , mm - In one of his escapades as Davy, Parker whips BIgfoot, the bully, In a bruising fist fight. At the battle of the Alamo, Davy (second from right) rallies his badly outnumbered troops. 1 ""1 1 ' , vv-- ' v.- - fa "l if l) 1 Vith coorwk;In cap and trusty rifle, Fess Parker Is ready for action In Walt Disney's movie, "Davy Crockett." his full-leng- FAMILY WECKIY MAGAZINE th JULY 10, If 53 I For 13 days the defenders of the fort bravely stave off the Mexican attackers, but finally they I are overwhelmed and massacred. Surrounded by fallen comrades, , Davy fights on atone. |